| Tamarisk trees come in two versions:
good guys and bad guys. And the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is trying to
eradicate the "black sheep of the family" - version from certain public land
areas, such as along the Mojave River at Afton Canyon in central San Bernardino
County. Both trees are non-native plants, having been introduced from Eurasia. The "good" one, called athel, is an evergreen species that attains the stature of a fairly large tree, and is planted as a windbreak in some desert areas. The destructive tamarisk, called salt cedar, is very small and |
deciduous, dropping its leaves in
large areas around its base. This is a highly aggressive weed, spreading
rapidly from seeds as well as stem and root cuttings. It grows fast (up to an
inch a day) and sucks up more water than any other plant known to man,
including any nearby water that may be needed by wildlife or other plants. Additionally, they emit salt from their leaves, killing all surrounding native vegetation as they out-compete native growth while forming almost impenetrable thickets. Wildlife is heavily impacted by the spread of this weed. Birds prefer other habitats, and bighorn sheep refuse to use water |
sources choked by salt cedar because
of increased danger from predators in the dense undergrowth. BLM's current eradication efforts are designed to reestablish native vegetation such as cottonwoods, willows, and herbaccous plants that have been crowded out by the salt cedar tamarisk species. When visitors see these eradication efforts, they should not be alarmed that BLM is removing trees from the public lands. They need to understand that the work will improve the habitat, provide more water for other plants, and permit native plants to survive and prosper. |